Direct Selection tool modifier keys
The following table lists shortcuts that you can use to modify the shape of an existing path with the Direct Selection tool 
. To add or remove points on an existing path, or to join two existing paths, use the Pen tool.
To do this action | Do this | Pointer |
|---|---|---|
Make tangent handles appear for a point on a path | Click a point on a path |  Move point pointer |
Move a point on a path | Drag a point on a path | Move point pointer |
Make tangent handles appear for a segment between two points on a path | Click a segment of a path |  Move segment pointer |
Move a segment between two points on a path | Drag a segment of a path | Move segment pointer |
Change the angle of a tangent for a point on a path | Click a point or a segment of a path to make the tangent handles appear, and then drag one of the tangent end points |  Move tangent pointer |
Make a point into a sharp corner or reduces the tangent to zero | Hover over a point, hold down ALT, and then click the point |  Convert point pointer |
Make any sharp corner smooth (or, if it's already smooth, change the angle of the curve as it passes through the clicked point) | Hover over a point, hold down ALT, and then drag the point | Convert point pointer |
Change a curve segment into a straight line | Hover over a segment in a path, hold down ALT, and then click the segment |  Convert segment pointer |
Take a segment and bend it into a curve to pass through the pointer position | Hover over a segment in a path, hold down ALT, and then drag the segment | Convert segment pointer |
Adjust one end of a tangent independently of the other side | Direct-select a point or a segment, hold down ALT, and then drag a tangent end point | Convert tangent pointer |
